Historic Markers Across Georgia

Johnson's Crook

Johnson's Crook Is a long, twisting gap created by the waters of Hurricane Creek coming off Lookout Mountain to merge with Lookout Creek. During the war, the only road by which wagons and artillery had a chance of getting over Lookout Mountain went up Johnson's Crook. On September 5, 1863, General James Negley, commander of the lead division of the Army of the Cumberland, sent two Infantry regiments and a section of artillery to reconnoiter the area around Johnson's Crook. The following day, a regiment explored the road up the mountain and fought a brief skirmish with Confederate cavalry, in which one man was wounded. Negley established a base camp at a spring near the place where Hurricane Creek enters Lookout Creek.

&quotI have just returned from the top of the mountain,&quot General Negley reported on September 7. &quotThe road is very steep and rough In places. To get up our trains will be a laborious undertaking. We are improving the road as much as possible. We gained possession of the top and cross-roads 2 miles beyond without opposition. The enemy attempted an ambuscade at the cross-roads, but was frightened off by an effort I was making to get Into his rear.&quot

On September 9th General Negley led his division over the mountain at Johnson's Crook. For the next week there was a steady stream of men following up the mountain. On September 16th the historian of the 73rd Illinois Infantry wrote: &quotAt 10 a.m. the regiment started up the mountain, leaving eight men with each wagon to help the mules up the steep road with the train. It required the putting forth of the utmost strength of the mules and men to get the train over the most difficult places in the road. On getting fully half-way up the mountain we came to a small field, an orchard, and an old log hut. In the hut was a poor, helpless woman, suffering from intermittent fever. She was lying on a very scant and rickety bed, and had an army blanket for her covering. There was no furniture in the house. A part box of army crackers, some coffee and sugar had been left by the passing soldiers for the woman and her two small children to subsist on. The husband and father had been killed in the rebel army some six months previously. The door of the old hut being partly gone, and some of the spaces between logs of the sidewalls being not less than ten Inches wide, together with the suffering and poverty within, made the house a sad one to contemplate. Shortly after twelve noon we reached the top of the mountain. Had time for rest and coffee. A mail was also unexpectedly and joyfully received.&quot

The men of the Army of the Cumberland continued the trek up Johnson's Crook and over Lookout Mountain. The last unit did not get over the mountain until November 18th -- the day before the big battle at Chickamauga.

Chickamauga Campaign Heritage Trail - Johnson's Crook Johnson's Crook Is a long, twisting gap created by the waters of Hurricane Creek coming off Lookout Mountain to merge with Lookout Creek. During the war, the only road by which wagons and artillery had a chance of getting over Lookout Mountain went up Johnson's Crook. On September 5, 1863, General James Negley, commander of the lead division of the Army of the Cumberland, sent two Infantry regiments and a section of artillery to reconnoiter the area around Johnson's Crook. The following day, a regiment explored the road up the mountain and fought a brief skirmish with Confederate cavalry, in which one man was wounded. Negley established a base camp at a spring near the place where Hurricane Creek enters Lookout Creek.

&quotI have just returned from the top of the mountain,&quot General Negley reported on September 7. &quotThe road is very steep and rough In places. To get up our trains will be a laborious undertaking. We are improving the road as much as possible. We gained possession of the top and cross-roads 2 miles beyond without opposition. The enemy attempted an ambuscade at the cross-roads, but was frightened off by an effort I was making to get Into his rear.&quot

On September 9th General Negley led his division over the mountain at Johnson's Crook. For the next week there was a steady stream of men following up the mountain. On September 16th the historian of the 73rd Illinois Infantry wrote: &quotAt 10 a.m. the regiment started up the mountain, leaving eight men with each wagon to help the mules up the steep road with the train. It required the putting forth of the utmost strength of the mules and men to get the train over the most difficult places in the road. On getting fully half-way up the mountain we came to a small field, an orchard, and an old log hut. In the hut was a poor, helpless woman, suffering from intermittent fever. She was lying on a very scant and rickety bed, and had an army blanket for her covering. There was no furniture in the house. A part box of army crackers, some coffee and sugar had been left by the passing soldiers for the woman and her two small children to subsist on. The husband and father had been killed in the rebel army some six months previously. The door of the old hut being partly gone, and some of the spaces between logs of the sidewalls being not less than ten Inches wide, together with the suffering and poverty within, made the house a sad one to contemplate. Shortly after twelve noon we reached the top of the mountain. Had time for rest and coffee. A mail was also unexpectedly and joyfully received.&quot

The men of the Army of the Cumberland continued the trek up Johnson's Crook and over Lookout Mountain. The last unit did not get over the mountain until November 18th -- the day before the big battle at Chickamauga.